Extreme Speed in ALMS LMP2 switch

Extreme Speed Motorsports will move up from the GT class to LMP2 for this year’s American Le Mans Series.

The squad will run HPD ARX-03bs and becomes the first to commit to a full-time ALMS LMP2 entry this season.

Scott Sharp’s team made the eleventh-hour decision despite testing its GT Ferrari at Sebring last week.

Sharp and partner Johannes van Overbeek took ESM’s first GT wins last season and finished second in the class championship.

But long-time IndyCar racer Sharp believes his team is better off getting into LMP2 before the ALMS/Grand-Am merger in 2014, when P2 and Daytona Prototypes will share headline status. He also reckons GT will be tougher for independent teams this season.

“If the GT class is a strong factory-supported class and you are not a full manufacturer entry, everything falls on the shoulders of the team,” said Sharp.

“As a result, the independent teams are at a serious disadvantage compared to their factory-supported counterparts.

“For ESM to win two races last year, finish second in the GT championship and beat the top factory GT teams in the world is a huge testament to the time, effort, energy and dedication of everyone at ESM and [sponsor] Tequila Patron.

“We feel we have a terrific opportunity to learn and develop the P2 car this year, and that will put us in an ideal position going into the merged season of 2014.”

Sharp won the ALMS LMP1 title alongside David Brabham in 2009 when they drove for Highcroft. The duo took multiple LMP2 wins in the preceding campaign.

ESM will keep the same driver line-up for its P2 move, with Sharp and van Overbeek sharing the #01 car and Ed Brown and Guy Cosmo in the #02.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/extreme-speed-in-alms-lmp2-switch

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